Barcelona will be hosting Atletico Madrid on December 3 and the match is crucial in the context of this season’s La Liga title race. The defending champions, Barcelona, are currently sitting fourth in the table, seven points behind Real Madrid and Girona, who are leading the standings. Atletico Madrid shares the same number of points with Barcelona and a victory for either side would significantly boost their title aspirations.
Both teams have secured passage to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, so their sole focus will be on the league football for the coming weeks before La Liga takes a short break in December. Atletico Madrid, particularly, has received praise for their form in recent games, including a notable 3-1 victory against Real Madrid. However, Barca, under the management of Xavi, has been under scrutiny due to recent losses and a draw, raising doubts about their progress.
The Sporting News will be providing live updates, commentary, and highlights of the match.
Here are the predicted lineups for both teams:
– Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): Ter Stegen (GK) — Cancelo, Araujo, Martinez, Balde — Pedri, Gundogan, De Jong — Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Torres.
– Atletico Madrid (3-5-2, right to left): Oblak (GK) — Witsel, Gimenez, Hermoso — Molina, Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Lino — Morata, Griezmann.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 9:00 p.m. local time and will be broadcasted across various territories.
In terms of television and streaming options, the match can be watched live via ESPN+ in the USA, TSN+ in Canada, ITV 4, Viaplay Sports 1 in the UK, and various other platforms in different regions.
Barcelona’s injury picture remains unchanged, with Gavi being the only long-term absence. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid has no fresh injuries to report.
As for the prediction, it’s expected to be a close battle, with Barcelona having a slight advantage in their home ground. However, Atletico Madrid is likely to provide strong competition. The predicted score is Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid.
The match is expected to be a hard-fought encounter, and the outcome could have significant implications on the La Liga title race. Both teams will be looking to claim all three points to bolster their position in the league standings.
